Capitals replace Holtby in goal for 3rd period of Game 2

Imagine going back in time to two years ago and telling someone Fleury would be the Penguins best player in this postseason – as the backup.

With Game 2 in Washington on Saturday night, Bonino knows it will be hard to take a 2-0 series lead with the same showing. While Pittsburgh won Game 1, they likely aren’t too proud of how they played.

“Listen, Washington’s a real good hockey team”.

“Sometimes depending on the situations it’s nearly the road team that dictates how the game is played because just the guys they put on the ice in certain faceoffs, and then the other team has to respond to that”, Maple Leafs forward James van Riemsdyk said. “We try to have the same approach, regardless of our opponent, regardless of where we’re playing, whether it’s home or away”. We had expected it, really.

“It wasn’t as we planned”, Holtby said. You are getting sleepy. Play the same way in Game 2, and chances are it happens for the Capitals. The Caps’ chances of advancing, according to National Hockey League history, are 21 percent.

In the first round last month against Montreal, the Rangers trailed 2-1 before also winning three in a row to advance. The total has gone under in four of the Rangers’ last five road games in Ottawa. Doesn’t that mean that losing Game 1 isn’t so important? The Caps dominated the majority of the game, and the Pens still snuck out with the W. Plan A – jump ahead of ’em – is toast. They have posted an overall record of 111-37-16, an unbelievable stat. If this seems unfair, it is. “You just have to fight through it”.

Welcome to playoff paradox.

WASHINGTON (AP) – When Sidney Crosby wasn’t beating the Washington Capitals putting the puck through his legs, he was doing it belly down on the ice. Mr. Trump’s visit to the Keystone State – one of a series of pivotal victories for him on Election Night – coincided with his 100th day in office, as he made clear he is not giving up on his promise to shake things up in the nation’s capital. For the second game in a row, the Capitals had a huge lead in shot attempts (89-40). Forward Carl Hagelin will be a game-time decision … One game into Round 2, and he’s been nothing short of spectacular. He took a knee-on-knee hit from Leo Komarov against the Toronto Maple Leafs and kept on going.

Sullivan also couldn’t say enough after the game about Crosby, calling him the best “200-foot-player in the game”.

“They’re both driven”, Washington coach Barry Trotz said. “All three [Pens] goals were very preventable”. “When we get those chances, we bear down and those are key goals for us”. “That’s why they have that line there”. The Bruins went 18-8-1 after Cassidy replaced Claude Julien on February 7, a run that allowed them to make the playoffs for the first time since 2014. “It’s not just four goals, it’s the tying goal, it’s the overtime one”.

The Penguins came to the District with two goals. Otherwise, ice won’t be back on the floor of the Verizon Centre until September. “I don’t know if that’s good or bad, but I don’t think you should ever get used to that”. Evgeny Kuznetsov evened the game at 2-2 in the third and Nick Bonino got the game-winner with 8 minutes to play. “It’s not flawless by any stretch out there”.

“They’re a privilege to coach, this group”, said Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan. “You go out there and usually you feel like you pick it up right where you left off”. He was making a point, and was so eager to convince us of his truth-telling he needed to put his hand on something. Washington then won seven of its next eight games. While six PPGs through eight games isn’t the worst thing in the world, Washington is getting plenty of opportunities, and they can not capitalize on all of them. Then, with a Caps win, a long, thrilling series will unfold. In the Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin era, the bitter rivals have met three times.

And nobody in the Red Rockin’ 20004 wants that.